Interior Design and Decorating

Kamis, 14 September 2017

A great interior designer can turn a wreck of a house in to a home. It might cost more to hire an interior design than to do it yourself, but a professional designer and decorator can help avoid mistakes, save time and bring your dream home ideas to life. Here are the essential tips for finding, choosing and working with an interior designer.

CONSIDER THE STYLE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR

Collect magazine clippings of the kind of home styles, furniture, colors, fabrics and accessories that you like. Go through them and pick a few styles that you like best and that you think will work for the space you have. Also make a list of the furniture and items you would like to keep. Sketch out a simple basic floor plan. You do not need to go into detailed measurements at this stage.

LOOKING FOR AN INTERIOR DESIGNER

Flick through local design and home magazines, and visit show homes to find designers whose work you admire. Call them up and ask for their portfolios and at least two references. Be sure to call up the references and ask them who actually did the work, how they were, was the design completed on time, on budget, are there any thing they would do differently and how was the after-care service once the project was finished.

You might want to consider an interior designer who also specializes in creating good feng shui for your home. Or a designer who can custom-build furniture to match your home's particular requirements.

SELECTING YOUR DESIGNER OF CHOICE

Once you have conducted the initial review, make a shortlist of around 3 designers. Ask them for their fees: is it a flat consultancy fee, an hourly rate or a percentage of the overall project. Ask how payments are made, from deposit to the end payment. Fees may vary widely, but be sure that you have picked a designer that you can afford. Ask if they will personally oversee the project. If they don't, try and meet with the actual project manager/designer.

A FORMAL DESIGN QUOTATION

As your favored designer to visit your property in order to provide a written quotation. Ask them about the approximate completion schedule and do not be embarrassed to ask for a discount or advice on ways to save money.

ALWAYS HAVE A WRITTEN SIGNED CONTRACT

Even if your chosen designer is a trust friend, make sure you sign a contract before any work is agreed. A contract is not simply a matter of trust, it is also to clarify and record any details that you might forget once the project is underway. Clarify in the contract exactly what services the designer will provide, the payment and projected time frame. Make sure you have discussed how unforeseen cost overruns or delays will be handled.

Kamis, 31 Agustus 2017

Our homes are our castles, our keep and refuge to which we return after doing battle with corporate dragons, traffic, bureaucratic brain scientists and recalcitrant nursery school tots. And how much more pleasant the experience when the space is to die for. And getting those spaces beautiful is one of life's great pleasures. There is nothing quite like a spot of interior design and decorating therapy to brighten the dingiest day.

Well, most of the time anyway. Sometimes things can really go badly wrong and slips between the drawing board and the paint bucket can cause some spectacularly unexpected and, well, interesting results. Never fear though, there a couple of basic pointers when it comes to decorating that can save the day.

Make your own choices. Although glossy house and home magazines can offer up tons of great ideas, your home is your space and anything you apply should center around your needs, taste and the constraints of the space itself.

Lighting and the effect of furnishings and features affects everything you put into a space, so don't choose fabrics, carpets etc. in the store. Ask for samples or swatches and check them in your home environment.

The same applies to colour. Don't choose paint in a store. Buy a sample and paint a small section of wall and assess the effect in your room. Also remember that texture plays a big role in how colours present themselves. Paint on a smooth wall will look subtly different when applied to a textured finish, particularly as light shifts through the area.

Don't crowd your walls. Unless you have absolutely no choice, don't allow furniture to hug the walls of a room. Group the furniture to create social space and don't be afraid to utilise the centre spaces. Walls are easier to maintain in this way as well.

Don't box yourself in. Points of entry and exit should never be obstructed and logical traffic flows should be left open. This not only makes for an easy flow through the area but facilitates cleaning.

Avoid trends. Trends are gone as quickly as they pop up. Stick with classic, timeless themes and quality furnishings. Neon animal print faux fur may be "in" today but will probably be a source of great embarrassment tomorrow.

Create focal points in an area. Any room benefits hugely from having a feature or furnishings that create strong focal attractions. Arrange the furnishings in the room to maximise the effect of that focal point. At the same time try and keep the focal attraction generic with wide appeal. Uncle Ernie's stuffed whale head is not a good idea for the living room wall.

Mismatched furnishings can destroy a space if you can't find some way to tie them together theme wise. Try and maintain a common thread or theme when decorating a room.

Details, details, details. The importance of detailing in a room can't be stressed enough. Colour coded scatter cushions, table lamps, books, fragrant candles and flowers all make great accessories and add detail that draws a theme together.

So, there are a couple of pointers to help your home decorating have personal impact. The most important thing to remember though is to express yourself in your decorating and above all else - Have fun!

Rabu, 16 Agustus 2017

When new home owners try to picture out the interior design and decorating, they might cringe at the thought. Most people who can already afford their homes have set aside a budget for the interior design and decors but do not like the idea of having to plan and start the theme for their house. That is when the idea of hiring interior designers comes in handy especially when the owner has no background or idea of the right way to spice up their living space in the big metro.

The idea of limited space in urban homes is a reality. Most of these city houses have a few square feet spare for patios or small yards in the front or back. The idea of urbanized living space is to find a functional limited space and transform it into a chic but livable place for young professionals or starting couples. This can be challenging for lay persons who could only look at the confined area of small condos or apartments in the big city.

But with the development of decors that are affordable and easy to find, decorating your urban space can no longer be that of a hard work. Metal materials generally swamp decors sections in most shops since they are durable, malleable for easy designs, and look sophisticatedly modern. A great example would be metal wall clocks that can last for a long time, great in many interior designs, and modern pieces. Innovative décor companies also include organizer furniture and decors like the shoe rack and many others that can help your place more organized and spacious.

Cabinets and pantries are usually incorporated into the interior design of a room and seem to be concealed for the most part. The many compartments for the modern kitchen in most condos, for example, are placed underneath kitchen counters or overhead to strategically maximize the tight kitchen space. Good thing that most appliances are made in mini modes and are easily placed in small places around the kitchen. Targeting for a minimal but functional theme can truly help in maximizing the rest of the limited space in the condo or apartment units.

Getting the right kind of designer to do your design and décor can also be a great contributor for your urban zone revamp or start. Ask for recommendations from friends or families who have a great place to boast about and ignore the pricy tags of commended professionals who ask for too much for their service fees. Settle for a designer who can recommend lesser but not less creative alternative design schemes for your living space.

Remember that your living space and the interior design and decorating are essential to keep yourselves happy and calm in your own little private sanctuary. Couples should seriously consider the right designer to guide them in design and decors. Do not try to invest in novice designers who can disappoint you with too much enthusiasm and your place might end up looking like an art experiment. You must also stay clear of the most in demand designer to do your living space for you as they can end up doing too little for too much payment. Settle instead for someone who understands you concept and respect it no matter what.

Senin, 31 Juli 2017

Interior design and decorating has been among the famous ways to improve the internal aspect of the house or any establishment. This practice of designing and decorating the interior of the house has become common and public since most if not all households desire that they live in a residence that provide them the best of comfort and security. Interior design and decorating primarily focuses on the improvement of the appearance or aesthetic of the furniture, design, decors, appliances, and other equipment inside the house.

Practically, interior designing and decorating improves not only the owner's satisfaction of living in the building but such practice also increases the market value of the house. Most houses have enormous price tag not only because they are strategically located or that their foundations are strong but also because the interior of the house has a magnificent appearance of strength, quality, and beauty combined. Thus, some houses have interiors that cost double than the structure itself since the appliances include an integrated 3D television, the sofa is classical, top of the line couch, and a complete set of home entertainment among others.

Among the different great benefits that interior design and decorating provides for the homeowners are the feeling of outstanding comfort and relaxation, the pride of owning such a splendid house, the certainty of higher market valuation in case of selling or mortgaging such property, and the security of having a safe and sound residential building. With the top of the line appliances and furniture arranged in the most elegant manner, the dwellers should undoubtedly enjoy every moment they are inside the house.

Having an elegantly designed and decorated home interior also boosts confidence and pride of the owner to invite guests and host parties. This gut comes from the satisfaction that the house is very prepared for such functions and can very well accommodate every desire of the guests. The homeowner will also enjoy the financial benefit of having a highly valued and appraised real estate property at his disposal. Interior design and decorating is but another form of investment in your housing unit. This ensures that your home does not only incur depreciation but also an upswing of its value in the market.

Finally, this practice updates the safety and lucky arrangements of the interior fixtures and decorations. The safety features of the internal aspect of the house are checked and upgraded with modern security equipment that suit the overall design concept of the building. In oriental practice especially that of the Chinese, the belief that the arrangements of furnitures and fixtures inside the house either attract or repel luck and fortune.

With all of these great promises and rewards of interior design and decorating, no wonder almost every household has an utmost interest and desire to redesign and redecorate their interior so that it suits and fits with one's standards of excellence, comfort, and style plus it also provides them advantages in the financial and fortune matters.

The only caveat here is that this process prior to reaping all these great rewards require spending some if not most of your resources. Thus, only perform this process when you have sufficient money and other essential resources or else all that you worked hard for will only end up foreclosed or sold.

Senin, 17 Juli 2017

Looking for an interior designer or interior decorator can be overwhelming if you are not sure which designer you need for the scope or your project. Are you building, renovating or moving and need professional advice? Are you planning to sell your property and not sure how to get ready for the first inspection?

It will help you finding the right designer for your interior design and decorating projects and eventually create your individual style in your home.

What is the difference between an interior designer and an interior stylist?

You may have asked yourself this question already when facing a building or renovation project. Do I need an interior designer, an interior decorator, a colour consultant or an interior stylist?

The answer is that it depends on the scope of the project.

An interior designer is a skilled professional who is designing interior environments according to your briefing. The interior designer either modifies what already exists (renovation) or provides an entirely new design for a space (new build). In this case the interior designer works closely with the architect and comes in at an early stage of the project. Interior designers work either along a team in design firm or on their own.

What is the job of an interior stylist? An interior stylist is a designer or consultant in a field subject to changes in style, especially fashion or interior decoration. An interior stylist cultivates or maintains any particular style and in most cases stylist are finders, keepers and collectors of beautiful objects.

The interior stylist can help you finding your own style, creating beautiful interiors that are unique and meaningful. This can be achieved with the simplest things and does not have to be expensive. The only thing you need to do is keep your eyes open to beautiful things in nature, architecture, design, museums, art, exhibitions, books, textiles and travel. There is only one rule: Only collect or buy things that mean something to you!

How does a colour consultation work?

The colour consultation focuses on creating a colour scheme for a specific room or space or the whole house according to your briefing. A qualified colour consultant can help you with interior and exterior colour schemes.

Prior to designing a colour scheme for you the colour consultant should always talk to you about the mood and atmosphere you would like to achieve in your space. He will explain to you the differences between the paint companies and their products and choose the right product for your needs. After designing the colour scheme you will receive a written recommendation including a specification sheet and brushouts ready for your painter to start.

Why is it important to seek advice from a designer when choosing colours?

Colour is the most powerful tool when it comes to non-verbal communication and the design element that makes a space come alive. Colour brings individuality in a space and it is one of the most useful tools to master when finding your own style.

Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, says in her book Pantone Guide to Communicating with Color: "Among other uses, color stimulates and works synergistically with all of the senses, symbolizes abstract concepts and thoughts, expresses fantasy or wish fulfillment, recalls another time or place and produces an aesthetic or emotional response."

When choosing a colour for a room or house it is important to think about the mood and atmosphere you would like to achieve. Is it a dark room or flooded with natural light? In which direction is the room facing? How are the proportions? Do you live in a small apartment or a contemporary newly built house with open plan living areas? All this needs to be considered when choosing colours for a space.

If you are overwhelmed by the choice of colours available - yes, there are thousands on the market - how can you start finding your personal colour scheme?

For some people it is a longer journey, for others it comes more naturally. The most important thing is to take some time, open your eyes, walk around your home and absorb the colour combinations you see. Then start gathering all the pieces you love. This can be anything from old porcelain, travel souvenirs, photographs, artwork, clothes, tear sheets from magazines, fabric swatches, stationary, a collection of stones, feathers or glass objects.

And don't forget nature as inspiration for a colour scheme (interior or exterior). If you live near the ocean, shades of blues and greens can be used to link your interior with its surroundings. Flowers, butterflies, stones, shells, driftwood are fantastic inspirations for colour schemes.

Once you have gathered all your beloved treasures in one spot, play around with the pieces, group them by colours and you will see a colour palette emerge. This "moodboard" is a great starting point for your interior designer, interior stylist or colour consultant to help you creating an individual and personal space, a home that reflects who you are and a place that you love coming home to.

Stylist's tip: Before you start painting always buy a test pot and paint a large sheet of paper or cardboard (one square metre) with your colour. Tape it to the walls in your room and study it for a couple of days. Look at it in daylight and artificial light. This is very important as colours change depending on the light, the orientation of the room, other colours in the room and spatial elements like furniture and artwork for example.

What is the difference between a colour and a styling consultation?

The colour consultation focuses on creating a colour scheme for a specific room or space or the whole house according to your briefing. A qualified colour consultant can help you with interior and exterior colour schemes.

The styling consultation focuses on creating a certain (Your) style in your home or simply on answering all your questions about colours, style, furniture sourcing and placement, art sourcing and placement, displays of your collections, accessories, proportions in a space, lighting etc.

Again it is vital that the designer listens to what you would like to achieve (briefing) and makes sure that he understood what you want (debriefing). Don't let the interior designer or interior stylist talk you into something you don't like!

How do I maximise the output of my styling consultation?

Are you planning to colour, redecorate or renovate, but don't know where to start? Do you have lots of questions about colour schemes, furniture placement, how to display your collections, books or other beloved things? Are you not sure whether to redecorate with your old furniture and accessories or to renovate and create a new look? Do you need inspirations where to source furniture and accessories, second hand pieces or antiques?

If you prepare your first consultation with your stylist properly, you will get answers to all the questions you have. Here are my tips how to maximise the output from your styling or colour consultation:

• Be clear what you would like the outcome of the consultation to be.

• Decide which room or space you would like to focus on. Is it only one room or the whole house?

• Prepare yourself with tear sheets from interior design magazines like Real Living, Inside Out, Belle or Vogue Living. There are plenty on the market so choose the one that speaks to you most and start collecting pages of everything you like: colour schemes, furniture, accessories, room layouts, rugs, flooring, wallpaper, decorative items and everything that speaks to you. If you do this for a couple of weeks you will clearly see what you like and find your own personal style.

• Make sure that your stylist is listening and explain what you want to achieve with your styling project, what you would like a room to do for you and what mood you would like to create in your space.

And finally one of the most important things: Don't let the stylist talk you into something you don't like! You have to live in the space and you need to feel comfortable and at home! It is all about creating your home with your personal touch.

How do I find my own style?

The answer is as simple as this: explore the world around you and appreciate the beauty that lies within everything you discover!

One of my favourite books I spotted in a museum shop is called: How to be an explorer of the world by Keri Smith. On the back it says: "At any given moment, no matter where you are, there are hundreds of things around you that are interesting and worth documenting."

A stylist's tip: always carry a little notebook and a pen with you in order to be able to sketch, doodle and write down what you discover.

Keep all your findings, notes and pictures in a folder or box and keep searching for at least four to eight weeks. Then start to group things by colour or theme and you will discover what your style is. And there are no rules. It is all about finding what you like!

Books for your inspiration

This is a list of books that I personally own and love! They are all a fantastic source of inspiration and creative ideas for your home.

Sibella Court: Bowerbird

Shannon Fricke: Sense of Style

Megan Morton: Home Love

Holly Becker: Decorate

Susanna Salk: Be Your Own Decorator

Geraldine James: Creative Walls

Hans Blomquist: The Natural Home

Is it necessary to seek advice from a stylist when I want to sell my property?

If you plan to sell your house it is worth investing in a styling consultation. A professional property stylist can help you to achieve maximum impact when presenting your home to potential buyers. A property stylist will help you to get ready for the first inspection by giving you advice on how to style your house with what you have. He will help you with colour schemes that attract potential buyers. He will also advice if you need rental furniture to style each room according to its function and help potential buyers to envisage themselves in the space. Property styling is all about creating a wow factor in key areas of your home and help the buyers to envisage themselves in your space. Once the styling is done don't forget to book your stylist for the real estate photography shoot to make sure everything looks perfect on this day!

Jumat, 30 Juni 2017

Interior design and decoration is a creative way through which you stamp your distinctive style and personality on your beloved home. Considering that the interiors of the home say a lot about those who live there, most homeowners keep aside a budget for interior decoration when they build or renovate their properties. This has led many a creative person to become a professional interior designer and decorator. If you search across an online local business directory, you will come across a number of such professionals whose services you can avail for improving the beauty and functionality of the inside of your home.

The increased inclination for interior designing owes a lot to the value it adds to life. Let us take a look at how interior designing and decoration enhances the quality of life enjoyed by you.

Enhances the beauty, comfort and luxury of your home: The basic concept behind interior designing is to make your home more habitable. It is aimed at improving the placement, functionality and aesthetic appeal of the décor, furniture, appliances and all such things that add to the beauty, comfort and luxury of your home. Makes the home safer: By designing safe entry and exit points, installing ergonomically sound furnishings, appliances and products, and making sure that the property has efficient upgraded security equipment, safety of the home is enhanced greatly. Boosts the homeowner's social status: Elegant and rich interior design and decoration invites the admiration of the visitors and helps you make a big impression on everyone within your social and professional network. Enhances the mood of the occupants: The improvement in aesthetic beauty and comfort of your home brought about by innovative interior design uplifts your and your family's mood. Affords privacy to the family members: There are times when everyone wants to be with oneself. With the help of an imaginative interior designer, each member of the family can have an exclusive and private space in the home. Increases the resale value of the property: It is not difficult to understand that if your home is beautifully designed and decorated and fitted with the luxuries of life, it will command a good price in the property market and this will give you great pleasure.

You spend a major part of your life inside your home and its interior decoration makes a world of difference to how happy and comfortable your living is. It is not necessary that you splurge on the interiors; you can work according to your budget to create a place that is exclusively yours. It is certainly worth the time and effort to make your home a unique haven.

Kamis, 15 Juni 2017

We all reside in houses of one kind or another. When furnished, whether well done or not, they constitute the environment in which we spend the great part of our lives. These environments influence us continually and profoundly.

To the degree that your home is beautiful and comfortable affects us favorably and provides a wonderful haven for recuperation of mind and body. It also facilitates a richer and more satisfying life. To the degree that it is uncomfortable and lacking in beauty, it provides the exact opposite. This can develop into a potentially devastating degree.

As you can see, a properly furnished home is a very significant matter. It affects your life, as well as your attitude and ambitions. Your home should be an environment that is as supportive of your life as possible. Therefore, knowledge of how to furnish a house properly is very meaningful.

Beauty and comfort in a home do not result from chance or happen by accident. They result from the proper application of a reasoned process. Two quotes on the back of my business card illustrate this perfectly. They are the foundations of my business philosophy. Firstly, "Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of intelligent effort." Secondly, "When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece."

Transforming a blank canvas into a picture or carving a block of stone into a beautiful sculpture is comparatively less creative of an endeavor than transforming an empty house into a place of beauty and comfort. The major distinction between the painting or sculpture and a house is that you are looking at the artwork. In the home you are not only looking at the interiors, but you're also enveloped in them. Therefore, interior design and decoration is also an art of selection and arrangement in a three-dimensional environment. This will require knowledge, appreciation, discrimination, and good judgment. Since interior design is a part of architecture, like a hand in a glove, it differs from painting and sculpture in that it has a very practical aim. Your home must not only look good, but function well. Being supportive of your lifestyle is the end goal.

When you set out to furnish your home, you face a threefold problem.

You must select and arrange items that suit the age, sex, and temperament of the individuals; whether one or many, as well as meet the needs, express the tastes and aspirations, and fit the budget. You must see to it that the furniture and accessories are selected and arranged to suit the home in terms of scale, proportion, coloring, and style. It may be eclectic, transitional, traditional, or contemporary. Finally, you must see to it that these things are not only suitable, but also good-looking and aesthetically pleasing. In addition, they must all combine to form a harmonious and beautiful whole.

The treatment of your house and each room within it involves the interplay of three factors, which I differentiate as the personal, the architectural, and the aesthetic. No decorative problem, however simple or complex, can be solved correctly and appropriately unless each of these factors is properly considered and given their due importance in order to achieve ideal results.

Even though the personal factor is of extreme importance, the architectural factor is one of the first things taken into account. The size and other physical characteristics of the rooms will determine what goes into them.

The personal factor is critical from the point that houses are for people, and a house exists to make adequate provision for the satisfaction, needs, and preferences of the individuals that will inhabit it. The prior statement is simple common sense, yet professionals as well as nonprofessionals ignore it frequently. Many look at it as "decorating" without due consideration for personal aspects relative to the real needs and preferences of the occupants.

This is not about fads or the newest craze! You must never forget that if you choose to disregard the personal factor, or make it of subordinate importance, you will pay the price in loss of comfort and beauty. If your main concern is to comply with the newest fad or craze of the hour, you may experience an hour's satisfaction. But you will most assuredly fail in achieving any dignity and individuality, or the fine flavor of distinction found only in homes whose decoration and design are established on the studied needs and tastes of the occupants.

As far as the aesthetic factor is concerned, making the furnishings fit the house is also of great importance as well as making them fit the people who live there. A properly furnished home meets all the real needs, both practical and aesthetic, of all the occupants, and relates them to the architectural factors as well. This paves the way for a pleasing and harmonious composition that is unique and personal.

Briefly, here is what you need to consider. Imagine three intersecting circles. I'll name them Circle A, Circle B, and Circle C. Circle A represents the total number of things available, without reference to their suitability, and are intrinsically good-looking, or pleasing in an aesthetic way. Circle B represents the total number of items that would satisfy your personal requirements. Circle C is the total number of elements that would satisfy the architectural requirements. The small area where all three circles intersect is the "sweet spot." This specifies the total amount of items and elements that are capable of satisfying all the conditions... the personal, the aesthetic, and the architectural. The remaining are the choices that you are limited to, in order to create the most holistic design possible. This will eliminate all the "fluff" and potential errors that could ruin your surroundings.